Author Topic: AI A HORSE (Read 4859 times)

shetlandpaul · « **on:** August 09, 2011, 09:08:40 am »

anyone done it and whats involved. the daughter fancies trying it on our pony.

Daisy · « **Reply #1 on:** August 09, 2011, 02:59:09 pm »

No experience of it but I have a friend who is qualified to AI horses

wytsend · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2011, 06:26:49 am »

The success rate if done by a professional & I believe you must be trained in order to do this legally, is about the same as natiral cover.

Depending on whereabouts you are, the 2 places I would recommend are Twemlows & West Kington Stud.

It is rather late in the year now but could still be successful.

More & more stallion owners prefer AI now as there is no risk to the horse. Friend of mine lost her stallion as a result of a mare double barelling the horse and broke both his front legs. The mare was hobbled & booted !!!!!

white-blazes · « **Reply #3 on:** August 13, 2011, 07:31:00 pm »

I did it with one mare as she never got pregnant when covered in hand the previous year. She'd had 3 foals previously for another owner and they couldn't get her in foal after that. Her belly and bits were very saggy, so we gave her AI as a last resort to see if it would reach the vital parts where the stallion couldn't - but it was no use. The stallion I used was owned by the AI inseminator, but the advantage of using AI to other people is they can use stallions anywhere in the country, provided they are available via AI - it opens up your choice of stallion if you're unable to travel the distance.

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #4 on:** August 13, 2011, 08:26:40 pm »

our local horse vet in Aberdeenshire has an AI centre and stands a stallion or two,worth looking at the AI info on the link incl a link to the price list for AI for 2011.
http://www.dukesvets.com/ai.htm

My 2p worth is it's very tempting, but it would only be worth doing if the horse/pony concerned has great performance or bloodlines, fab temperament and confirmation and the offspring will have a home for life, otherwise it's cheaper and less stress to buy one in the current market conditions, most breeders are making a loss and you can buy very well bred youngsters cheaper than you can breed them, theres such an oversupply. And then there's the risk to the much loved pony of the birth....never breed from a horse you can't bear to lose.

jinglejoys · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2011, 08:31:41 pm »

All by AI

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2011, 10:32:38 pm »

well that's different, you dont seem many of them to the ££ in Horse and Hound classifieds :-)) Am loving the lugs!

ellied · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2011, 07:57:03 am »

I haven't used AI as within the Highland breed there are relatively few stallions licensed for AI and I have my own stallion here and a couple of good outcrosses locally to use..

From stories I've heard from owners that have, the fresh semen is far better than frozen in terms of fertility and natural service far better than AI likewise. Not to mention very expensive and frequent vet visits to pay for on top of what is actually done.

In the current market I wouldn't recommend it - as someone else has pointed out, there are risks to any mare you breed from, there is a lot of expense and hassle involved in breeding your own foal (even without AI costs/hassles), and you can't choose what comes out - breeding is not an online ordering system and even the best bloodlines can produced a problem or a pony you simply can't use or sell on.. If you really want a foal, buy one at weaning and save yourself about £1000

plus you get to pick one with all the features you most want and leave behind any that have even the slightest question about their suitability for you.

white-blazes · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2011, 09:33:53 pm »

JJ I love seeing your mules, they are so BIG

wytsend · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2011, 06:13:12 am »

As everybody has said, in the current market, there has to be a reason to breed ,

Only high performing animals are worth the justification of bringing another life into this world.

If you have a high performing stallion then it is worth getting semen frozen as an insurance against fatal injury etc. Friend of mine just lost an 8yr old stallion that had qualified for Horse of the Year show finals from a herniated gut & they hadn't got around to freezing semen.... needless to say they are devastated.

With rare breeds... I believe every goood mare should reproduce once in her life, perhaps twice.